asians in australia

[mayoraasei]

Get shocked by a perfect Aussie accent?

Haha...to share my experiences:

I came to Australia in year 3, and one girl in my class always got really snarky around me because I didn't know English. Of course, even if you don't know a language, you always pick up on tones and expressions. Anyway, some time in year 4 she was nigelated and came piteously upon our group where we were having fun playing some random game, and she beseeched the one with the best English in our group, "Can I play with you?" And I got my own back with a snobby, "I don't want to play with her." To which she gasped with a hell lot of undeserved drama, "OMIGOSH she can speak English" and was forced to slither away under my glare.

LOL. The vengeful days of childhood. Ah, I was such an unforgiving soul back then. BWAHAHAHA.

I remember going to New York and getting shell-shocked by Asians (especially older ones) popping out with perfect American accents, and then remembering "Oh yeah, most Asians have been in American longer than us Asians have been in Australia".

There was once on a New York street when a local asked something of me, to which I answered in perfect Aussie, "Sure." (compare with the American "sure" and you'll see why) She gave me an odd look and said, "Where are you from?" I think she looked nonplussed when I said "Australia", and I almost added, "That's not in Europe." It was before the Sydney Olympics =P

I've never really been bothered by the "you speak very good English" remarks, probably because I haven't actually gotten a lot of them and also because I've always felt somehow that English was still my second language. These days I think I can say without exaggeration that my English is better than many (many being an undefined quantity a certain percentage less of 100%) native speakers (hey, at least I'm anal about grammar), and therefore the next time someone offers that line I shall smile tolerantly and reply, "Why, thank you, and so do you."



That aside, even though I'm Chinese, I do get annoyed by Chinese students who speak loudly on the train in Mandarin and squeal and in general act like asses. Asses. Donkeys. Not arses. Though sometimes that too, especially when they elect to decorate the pavement with their expectorated sputum spittle.

If you're over 40 I can understand if the language is hard to pick up. If you're here to study then speak the goddamn language. No wonder you all fail your bloody essays.

Sinocentrism annoys me just as much as white supremacy.

Comments

[nunuunuuu.livejournal.com]

Is that article subtly suggesting that you'll only gain real acceptance if you not only nail the accent, but live "the Aussie culture" (the beer, the surf, the schooner)?

My accent is hardly perfect, as I grew up in schools with barely ~10% 'old-school Aussies'. But as a result, I have a pretty good success rate in determining someone's first language by listening to the quality of their English--Viets, Lebanese being my main areas of expertise (I live in the west :P).

But anyway. The Chinese students (whose Mando/Canto conversations you can hear with insane clarity even from across the busy roads of Market City, World Square, China Town and opposing ends of train carriages) are a really entertaining bunch but not only for that reason :P. They also dress in the funkiest of styles and colours. One fashion trend I'd like to note is the big, baggy T-shirts that are 100% unflattering towards their body shapes. Such shirts are often accompanied by tights, and the end result looks a bit like a sign on two signposts. I've never seen funkily-dressed Chinese folks mingle with people of other ethnicities o_________0.

[beliael.livejournal.com]

People don't use the word "nigelated" nearly enough! xD Ah it fits so well in primary/high school contexts!

I saw a clip on the web of this Asian comedian talking with the SMOOTHEST TEXAN ACCENT EVER. It was a pretty stark contrast yet captivating at the same time. O_O

I can understand that people going to a country where their native language isn't the language of that country, you're bound to seek out people of your own tongue to communicate with. We all see it everywhere, they seem to stick to each other in groups. However, I bet they know that they are better in the long term to speak the language of everyone else around them otherwise they'd be handicapped linguistically longer than they need to be. It's probably a very difficult step to take, but it IS a necessary one (unless they are decidding to migrate back to their home country).

[beliael.livejournal.com]

Err, that wasn't meant to be a reply to Fiona's post, pressed the wrong link. ^^;

[nunuunuuu.livejournal.com]

Asian speaking Texan accent... now that I've never seen before 8DDD

That's just the thing! Good God, I remember in the good ole Japanese communications tutorials, I can hear more Chinese in the background than Japanese and English combined. Then they wonder why their Japanese speaking test results suck. But today, I saw a Chinese international student (English not that great) conversing with a Japanese girl (English quite good) on the tram and both were learning a lot through the discourse. It was like the sweetest thing of the day, to for once see a Chinese international student coming out of the comfort zones.

[siu.livejournal.com]

ya, my english ish baddddd

[luna-rainbow.livejournal.com]

I still can't recognise local American accents ~~;; I know that Asians speaking Californian accents still give me a shock XDD

It's not really just Chinese people I think. These days I see a lot of Koreans sticking together and speaking only Korean as well.

I think it's really cool that several international students in my degree converse with each other in English (even if a little hesitant) rather than Chinese ^^v

[luna-rainbow.livejournal.com]

Ah yeh ~~; The beer thing kinda annoyed me. But I think he's suggesting that people get a "reverse cultural shock" when they see "foreigners" doing what is quintessentially "Aussie" things.

Although I still get annoyed by the fact that the only national identity we have is beer with the barbie ==;;;

[siu.livejournal.com]

Heh, reminds me very much of engineering. The beer especially. We always have a barbeque every so often too, depending on the society.

Many of my international chinese friends do know that it is not good for them to speak chinese, but its a habit. They certainly do surround themselves with other chinese or asian people too. Maybe it is just their comfort zones.

[quothraven.livejournal.com]

I find it ironic that I've read more English books in my 12 or so years of 'western' life than a lot of 'native' English speakers in a lifetime. And they're somewhat always surprised when I say I've read so and so...

I don't know, I still don't feel very 'aussie' sometimes when I'm surrounded by those true blues, even though I've read more western literature, loves the same trashy U.S tv shoes (buffy, CSI, house..^^;;;), live in North Manly... etc... Like everytime I talk about something remotely non-western I get this 'oh how exotic' expression from other people.

But yes, I understand what you mean about people who refuse to acknowledge they've moved to a different continent.